Disclaimer - I do not own Mai Hime or its characters. They are owned by Sunrise

Author's Note - This is my 40th story here, and it's fitting that it should be a Mai Hime ShizNat~

Hope you all enjoy~ =3

~Promise~

Natsuki knew exactly where to go to find her...the same place the object of her search always ended up when life brought her down.

It wasn't a long climb up the small hill behind the country house that had sheltered generations of Fujinos. There were only a handful left now to lay claim to that once illustrious name, and one had just recently passed away.

Natsuki climbed the small rock-strewn and scraggly-grass covered hill, until she finally crested the top and stood before the massive old-grown tree that had provided shade and solace to many over it's generations of life. And this was precisely where Natsuki found her, just as she'd known she would.

Two long, thick ropes hung down from a long, stout branch and at the end of those two ropes was a sturdy piece of board. A young girl sat on that swing the two ropes and board made, lightly swinging her body back and forth with the toe of her shoe.

The sun was already setting, casting a mix of shadowy orange and golden light across the figure, who showed no indication that she had heard Natsuki arrive.

Natsuki walked slowly towards the young girl, who was no more than a year older than her own seventeen years. The swiftly approaching twilight painted light shadows across the swinging girl's face, before she finally turned startling-red eyes towards Natsuki.

No words were said between the two, and Natsuki quietly took a seat beside the girl on the second swing that had been built many years after the first. Natsuki didn't say anything to break the quiet between them, as she knew that patience and the mere comfort of her presence, would eventually be enough to cause the other girl to open up to her.

"I miss her," came the soft whisper on the light wind that collected the words, and flitted them gently across Natsuki's ears.

Natsuki reached out her hand slowly, and gently entwined her fingers with the hand of the other girl, which had been gripping the rope of the swing tightly.

"She's watching over you right now, I'm sure. Right beside the Angel who has been watching over me for most of my life," Natsuki replied softly, as she lightly stroked the pad of her thumb against the back of the slightly-chilled hand in her own.

All Natsuki wanted to do at this moment was to warm the hand in her own, and give the girl beside her the comfort and solace her agonized, scarlet-red eyes silently cried out for.

"I miss her...so...much," a chocked-off sob finally escaped the girl, and Natsuki wasted no time in slipping from her seat on the swing, and kneeling down before her chestnut-haired best friend and gathered her gently into her arms. The girl half-collapsed into Natsuki's arms, and cried the tears that had been raging within her to escape for the last two days, that she had been unable to find the ability to release until Natsuki arrived to help her free it.

"Shh shh Shizuru, I'm here now, I'm here. Let it all out now. I'll be here with you every moment to help you through this. I promise you," Natsuki whispered fiercely, as she began placing soft, soothing kisses across Shizuru's face, while cupping pale cheeks and silky-soft tendrils of hair in her grasp. "I'll be with you forever and watch over you, and will always be here to wipe away every tear you ever shed, and to hold you close in my arms whenever you need comfort and support," Natsuki breathed out as she tucked Shizuru's head against her shoulder, and placed a tender kiss against a tear-streaked cheek.

Fingers clutched almost spastically against the front of her shirt, until they relaxed and a small, soft sigh of peace slipped passed lips that lay at the small hollow of Natsuki's neck.

The twilight dark of night had settled down around the pair, as they continued to hold tightly to each other, and the faint sounds of crickets and an owl hooting off in the distance filled the night air around them.

Finally the girl in Natsuki's arms pulled back slightly, not moving too far away from Natsuki's grasp, and the first beginnings of a tremulous smile touched full, tear-slicked lips.

A faint shooting star streaked off in the distance, and crimson-coloured eyes quickly found and followed its path through the stars, before that gaze settled back down onto jade-coloured eyes that shone brightly even in the darkness of night.

"I love you, Natsuki. I don't know what I'd ever do without you, so please...never leave my side."

Natsuki smiled softly up into tear-brightened, ruby-red eyes before she leaned forward, and gently placed her lips against Shizuru's.

"I promise, Shizuru. I will stay by your side, and love you for the rest of my life...and for all time after."

A smile finally free of the full grip of grief that had covered them this entire time, now spread softly and slowly across Shizuru's face. She then leaned forward and lightly pressed her lips against a smooth ear, and softly whispered, "and I make the same promise to you, my Natsuki."

Natsuki smiled brightly, and leaned forward to place a kiss on the soft skin that lay just below curling, chestnut-coloured bangs.

"I love you, my Shizuru. My promise sealed with yours...for all time."

Really hope you guys enjoyed this =3

Please review and let me know what you guys thought of this story ^.^